Heartland Flyer receives approval to cover budget shortfall for coming year

The Texas Transportation Commission greenlit the Regional Transportation Council’s (RTC) decision to commit $3.5 million to the Heartland Flyer, a link between Fort Worth, Texas, and Oklahoma City, Okla. as it faced a possible budget shortfall.

The Amtrak service, which has operated since 1999, faced the possibility of ending after the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) funding request was not included in the state’s final budget. The 206-mile route is jointly funded by TxDOT and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

“The Regional Transportation Council and the North Central Texas Council of Governments [NCTCOG] are grateful to the Texas Transportation Commission for approving use of Regional Revenue funding for the Heartland Flyer,” said NCTCOG Director of Transportation Michael Morris. “This interim funding will help secure the future of the Heartland Flyer, which serves as a vital link for both commuters and leisure travelers between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City. We extend our thanks to Amtrak, the Texas Department of Transportation, the Texas Transportation Commission and all partners involved in making this historic action happen. We look forward to working with them to build a strong future for passenger rail.”

Amtrak welcomed the Texas Transportation Commission’s approval of funding for the Heartland Flyer.

“On behalf of our Amtrak guests who count on daily Heartland Flyer trains, we thank the Texas Transportation Commission for approving the state’s share of funding of the service from the North Central Texas Council of Governments and its Regional Transportation Council,” said Amtrak Executive Vice President Jennifer Mitchell. “We will work with the Commission, TxDOT, NCTCOG and other interested parties in Texas for a longer-term state funding solution. More than 80,000 passengers rode this service last year, up by 11% from the previous 12 months, on trains that are an economic benefit to both Texas and Oklahoma.”

The agency says the funding is also good news for special events hosted in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, like the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

This is the second time in recent months the RTC has stepped in with funding to keep the Heartland Flyer operating. In January, the RTC approved up to $100,000 in regional revenue funding to cover a potential shortfall through the end of the fiscal year.